Trapped Together
by ZOE007
Summary: When two people who are complete opposites get trapped together can they out their differences aside and get out?
1. Chapter 1

Regina Mills was not the type of person to ask for help even when it was obvious that she needed it but then an infuriating blonde came into town and did just that when a fire was set and she had been trapped, Emma had disappeared only to return and help the mayor to safety the brunette had a feeling that the blonde was a lot like herself and would never admit when she needed help.

Regina had actually caught the blonde in need of help on numerous occasions but Emma just pretended that she was fine so Regina let it go, but she was determined to find a time when Emma would admit that she needed help, of course that would be hard what with Emma being a Scorpio which made her as stubborn as mule.

One day the mayor caught the sheriff eyeing off a drunk Leroy trying to gauge whether or not he would end up running from her, on the bright side he kept her in shape.

Sure enough Leroy bolted and Emma gave chase Regina got in her car and followed just in case Emma needed her help, she followed them to the mines as she got out of her car she heard Emma trying to talk Leroy into coming with her.

"Leroy you're too close to the mineshaft, please come with me I promise I won't lock you up we'll just get a few cups of coffee into you."

As Emma was talking she was walking closer and closer to Leroy, when she was close enough she made a grab for Leroy but he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward and as he moved sideways he let go which sent the blonde falling down the mineshaft.

Regina who had been watching with worry became fearful for the younger woman who the mayor had come to find was not so irritating as she first thought.

Before Regina knew it she was sprinting across to the mineshaft hoping Emma was alright, when she got there she couldn't see Emma at all.

"Sheriff can you hear me?" Regina waited for a reply, upon receiving none she tried again.

"Emma are you alright?"

Again there was silence so Regina used the one name she reserved for when she was angry with the blonde.

"Miss Swan can you hear me? Cough if you can hear me?"

For the third time Regina was met with silence now she was scared that Emma was seriously hurt, she went to her car and got a rope that she sometimes used when her car was stuck.

Finding a strong tree Regina tied one end to the trunk and looped the other around her waist and began her decent down the mineshaft.

As she neared the bottom she saw Emma lying crumpled on the ground unconscious when she reached the ground the brunette went straight the sheriff checking for a pulse and to make sure she was still breathing, thankfully she found both and she let out a sigh of relief.


	2. Chapter 2

An hour had passed when Emma finally woke up.

"Good you're awake I was starting to worry you might have fallen into a coma."

"I should only be so lucky. What's the damage?"

"A few bumps, cuts and bruises but nothing too severe."

Emma had just gotten to her feet when her right ankle gave out.

"You seem to have forgotten to mention the twisted ankle."

"Sorry about that, had I known I would have said something." Regina said snapped.

"Whoa Regina chill out. It was meant as a joke to lighten the mood."

Regina's anger slipped away when she saw Emma wince.

"What's wrong?"

"My head hurts a bit not to mention my ribs."

Regina got the blonde to lay down as she checked her ribs confirming that some of them were cracked but thankfully not broken and as for the head pain that felt like a baby alien attached to her skull it was just a bump and mild concussion.

With Regina's help Emma stood up and looked around the mine.

"Do you think there's a way out of here besides up?"

"There was when Henry came down here but that was before it caved in now I'm not sure if there is another way."

Emma went over to where the mine had caved in and inspected it.

"Maybe if we move some of these rocks we can make a big enough opening and get out of here."

"I don't think that is a good idea it might be unstable."

"Well we have to try something."

With that Emma got to work on removing the rocks Regina was watching and heard the cracking of the wooden support beam.

"Emma the beam is cracking."

Emma knew that Regina was desperate because the mayor had used her first name looking around she found a fallen wooden log and using her foot she dragged it toward her unfortunately she couldn't bend down to get it because she was currently holding the beam up to the best of her ability.

"Regina I need you to lift one end of the log and shove it right where the beam is cracking so I can continue to remove the rocks when the beam has been stabilised."

Regina grabbed the log and wedged it under the beam and the cracking stopped so Emma continued with trying to get them out.

Emma had almost gotten through when the earth shook and Regina was standing right where a support beam was about to fall Emma seeing this lept into action.

"Regina! Look out!" Emma warned as she shoved the mayor out of the way.

The earth stopped shaking and Regina stood up and looked at Emma who for a second time that day had been knocked unconscious but now her right leg was trapped under the support beam.

Luckily this time Emma was only out for a few minutes instead of an hour.

"Ow my head."

"You have a nasty cut above your eye."

Emma turned as best she could and saw her leg under the beam and pushed it off.

"Well that's going to leave a mark."

Regina inspected Emma's leg and saw the bone was sticking out of the skin and it had multiple cuts and bruises when Emma sat up properly she moved her right arm and a burst of pain radiated up her arm.

"Son of a bitch."

"Miss Swan!" Regina scolded.

"Well excuse me but my shoulder and collarbone hurts like nothing I've ever felt before."

Upon inspection Regina concluded that Emma had dislocated her shoulder and broke her right clavicle.

"We really need to get you out of here and to the hospital."

"Regina the only way out is gone we're trapped in here."

Hours passed Regina checking Emma's leg to make sure an infection hadn't set in.

Realisation eventually hit Emma like a ton of bricks and her breathing became fast and shallow she was covered in a light sheen of sweat her heartbeat was racing Regina heard the way the blonde was breathing and turned to her.

"Emma are you alright dear?"

"We...we're tr...trapped there's n...no way out."

Realising that Emma was having a panic attack Regina grabbed the younger woman and pulled her against her chest.

"Emma you need to slow your breathing down and relax or you'll pass out just feel how I'm breathing and match it."

Slowly Emma's breathing became deep, slow and even and she relaxed against Regina as the mayor stroked the blonde's hair soothingly.

"Are you alright now?"

"Yeah. Thank you Regina."

"What happened?"

"I'm claustrophobic. It happened when I was 14 there was this group of boys in my class they were popular, always got what they wanted until me. They wanted me to give up my virginity and when I said no and walked away they decided to teach me a lesson so they grabbed me after school and locked me in the boot of one of their cars and we drove for hours when we stopped they got me out and threw me into an animal cage like one you'd put a big cat in or a bear or something. Anyway they kept making me the same offer of give up my virginity and they'll let me go or refuse and stay in the cage I was in there for weeks until one day."

"What happened?"

"A wolf came into the barn where I was kept and it somehow ripped the door to the cage off, at first I thought it wanted to eat me when it grabbed my clothes in its teeth but it just tugged gently and that's when I realised that it wanted me to follow it so I did, I would have let it eat me if it meant that I would be free of those boys. The wolf took me to its den which fortunately for me was a cave, there was a pack after a growl from the alpha they accepted me as his alpha female even though I am human."

"Did you ever go home?"

"Not to my foster parents there was this couple which studied the wolves and when they saw that a human girl ran with them they adopted me and let me run with the pack whenever I wanted I love them so much and the pack moves to woodland areas of whichever town or city I move to, they won't leave me."

By now night had fallen and Regina was shaking as was Emma but Emma deciding that Regina needed it more removed her leather jacket and wrapped it around the brunette's shoulders.

"What are you doing sheriff?"

"You're shaking so I'm giving you my jacket."

"Miss Swan I don't need the chivalry."

"I'm trying to be nice here."

"I didn't ask you to be."

"Well if you're going to be ungrateful perhaps we just shouldn't speak to each other for however long we're going to be trapped here for."

"That's just fine with me Miss Swan."

So both women sat in silence even though Regina had just argued with Emma she was grateful for the blonde's gesture and inhaled Emma's scent she was amazed at how Emma's scent of vanilla and strawberries calmed her she looked towards the sheriff and saw that Emma had moved away from her and was curled in on herself trying to keep as much body heat in as she could plus she was trying to stop the pain she was in.

Seeing this Regina instantly felt bad that she had been rude to Emma for the blonde was suffering in silence and yet still thought of Regina by giving the mayor her leather jacket even though she too was cold.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina made her way over to the injured blonde she checked her leg for infection which there was none thankfully then she touched the younger woman on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Emma I'm sorry for how I acted here you are thinking of me even though you're the one who's hurt."

"I think the only way we can survive being trapped down here is if we put our differences aside and work together."

"I think you may be right. Do you have any food?"

"I have a couple of power bars if we eat only tiny pieces we can make them go further."

"I happen to have two bottles of water and like the power bars they will go further if we only take small sips."

So for the next few hours Regina and Emma sat in a comfortable silence until Emma grunted in pain when she shifted positions.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah just hurts to move."

Regina would check Emma's leg every hour to make sure that no infection had crept up on them even though no infection was present Emma was feverish. Regina was keeping her warm trying to break her fever by sweating it out of her considering they needed to conserve their water supply, when sweating the fever out didn't work Regina used her water to bring down the blonde's temperature within 4 hours Emma's fever finally broke.

"Regina what happened? Where's your water?"

"I used what I had left to bring down your fever."

"Regina you needed that water."

"Emma saving your brain from cooking was more important than keeping myself hydrated."

Emma went to protest but Regina cut her off by placing three fingers to the blonde's lips.

"No arguments!"

So the younger woman said nothing except to thank Regina for helping her.

Soon the sun was coming up when both women woke.

Emma noticed that her leather jacket had been put back on her and knew that Regina must have put it on her when she had fallen asleep.

Suddenly voices could be heard from above.

"Sheriff Swan? Madam Mayor? Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

Emma immediately recognised the voice belonging to Sidney Glass.

"We're down here Sidney and the sheriff is injured badly."

A harness was lowered down and Regina helped Emma to fasten it once Emma was out of the mine Regina was next the mayor noticed that Emma was looking a little hurt emotionally and asked her what was wrong.

"I thought Mary Margaret would be here she was there when Henry was down there but now that I need her she's not here. I thought she cared about me?"

"Emma..."

"I shouldn't be upset. I'm used to not being cared about I mean my own parents didn't want me that's why they dumped me on the side of the road."

"Emma you know that's not true. Mary Margaret does care about you I've seen the way she looks at you when you're upset or injured she wants to protect you from all harm, she's probably really busy and doesn't even know that you were trapped down that stupid mine."

"Maybe then again maybe not."

"You're not going to believe what I say until you have proof are you?"

"You got it."

Once Emma was admitted to the hospital Regina made a call to Mary Margaret and when she told the teacher that Emma had an accident she could tell by the other woman's reaction over the phone that she was right and Mary Margaret did care for Emma within minutes Mary Margaret was at the hospital and Regina took her to Emma's room.

Upon seeing Emma's condition she was horrified for there lay Emma her arm in a sling to support her dislocated shoulder and broken clavicle her broken leg resting on a pillow, stitches holding the cut above her eye closed and her skin covered in cuts and bruises.

"Oh my gosh. Emma are you alright? Regina told me you had an accident but she didn't tell me how bad you were hurt."

Mary Margaret started fussing over Emma like a mother hen, while Emma looked at Regina with a smile on her face which told Regina that she now believed Mary Margaret cared about her.

"Miss Blanchard I think it would be best if the sheriff came and stayed with me while she heals the stairs at my home are not as steep as the ones leading up to your apartment."

"Is that alright with you Emma?"

"I guess so."

Once Emma had spent a week in hospital Regina signed her out and took her to the mayoral mansion where she got the blonde upstairs and into bed.

"The covers aren't too heavy on you leg are they?"

"No they're not."

"Right well I'll go get you something to eat."

As Regina went to leave Emma grabbed her hand which caused Regina to turn around and face her houseguest.

"Thank you Regina, for everything."

Regina's heart felt lighter for in all her life as the Evil Queen and the last 28 years as mayor she had never been thanked before.

"You're welcome dear, try to rest maybe even get some sleep I'll wake you when I bring you your lunch."

"Alright."

With that Regina left while Emma settled down under the covers within minutes she was asleep but it was not a peaceful one.

Regina was downstairs in the kitchen when Henry came home considering he had a half day of school.

"Hi mom."

"Henry be quiet Emma is here and she is upstairs sleeping."

"Why is she here and not with Mary Margaret?"

"Because she had an accident and can't get up the steep stairs to Miss Blanchard's apartment, so she's staying here until she has healed."

"Ok cool. Can I watch T.V. for a while?"

"Do you have any homework?"

"Not much."

"Do that first then you can watch some T.V."

Regina finished making lunch when a scream came from upstairs Henry was at the top before Regina even got to the foyer as soon as she was at the top Henry followed Regina into Emma's room as Regina opened the door both mother and son were met with another blood curdling scream and saw Emma in the middle of a nightmare.

Regina made her way to the thrashing blonde and gently grabbed her by her arms being careful of her injured one and softly shook her awake.

"Emma wake up dear."

Emma's eyes opened and she took in her surroundings and realised she was safe.

"Regina?"

"Are you alright now?"

"Yeah it was just a nightmare because of the accident."

Regina noticed a large scar running down the inside length of Emma's right arm.

"Emma how'd you get that scar? Did someone hurt you?"

"Nah it was nothing like that. I was working in the kitchen of a restaurant and I went to get something from the grill and I knocked over a block of knives and one sliced my arm open, it took a total of 204 stitches to close the wound."

"It was that bad?"

"Yeah it was."

"What happened after?"

"My boss decided I was an incompetent idiot so he fired me with no real reason so I sued him and won, unfortunately he wasn't going to let me get away with it so he followed me after the court case and raped me and he threatened me saying that if I went to the cops he'd make sure I regretted it."

"Did you tell the cops?"

"No I was terrified that he'd actually go through with it besides he had a wife and 4 little kids I didn't want to break their home so I kept my mouth shut."

(AN: feel free to leave a PM or review about what you want to see happen in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Regina's heart started to break for the blonde after all this girl had been through having one piece of bad luck after another thrust upon her.

"Emma how old were you when this happened?"

"18."

"Is your ex boss Henry's father?"

"No thank heavens it was a guy I met after I was assaulted, his name's Neal he got me pregnant then he let me take the fall for his crime, which is how I ended up with a police record."

"Does he know about Henry?"

"No after I was sent to jail I wanted to tell him but I had no way to contact him so I did the only thing I could do, I gave Henry up for adoption."

Regina noticed the heartache in Emma's eyes and voice.

"Giving Henry up was the hardest decision I have ever made but I knew I had no business raising a child, I had a record, no job not even a penny to my name. So what could I have possibly given to Henry if I had kept him?"

By this time Emma was openly crying Regina went over to the broken blonde and hugged her rubbing her back in soothing circles.

"Emma you wanted Henry to have his best chance at life that's all any parent wants for their child, if you had kept him you would have done everything in your power to protect him I can see that."

With Regina's words Emma calmed down and looked at the brunette.

"How can you see that?"

"Because when Henry was down the mine I saw how much you wanted to save him and make sure he was alright only a parent would act like that." Regina replied as she gently wiped the tears from Emma's cheeks with her thumb.

For the first time that Regina could recall Emma smiled a real smile.

"If I knew that this is all it took for us to get along I would have fallen down a mineshaft ages ago."

Regina chuckled when Emma made a joke out of their accident.

"Who would have thought we'd ever get along?"

"Is it going to continue?"

"Do you want it to dear?"

"It's a lot nicer compared to fighting all the time."

"Then I think it can continue and who knows maybe we'll even become friends."

Emma looked at her watch and saw that it was 10:00 at night.

"If I didn't need to stay here to heal, Mary Margaret would be tearing strips off me for being so late for dinner."

"Well thank your lucky stars that you're here instead."

"Telling you my story took a lot longer than I thought."

"Well I think pizza is in order for dinner."

"I already ordered it mom." Henry said as he entered the room.

"Thank you my little prince."

Henry went over to Emma and sat next to her.

"I can't believe my dad did that to you."

"Kid how much did your heart?"

Regina could tell that Emma was worried that Henry heard more than just about Neal.

"Just that my dad's name is Neal and he left you holding the bags for his crime after getting you pregnant with me."

Emma let out a sigh of relief now knowing that Henry hadn't heard her horror story that was her life pre-Storybrooke.

After dinner Emma and Regina were sitting in front of the fireplace drinking apple cider while staying warm by the fire when Emma's phone rang.

"Hello? Sheriff Swan speaking."

"Hello Emma. Did you really think that you could get away from me that easily?"

Emma's eyes widened with horror and she threw her phone at the wall causing it to break into lots of pieces which would be impossible to fix.

Regina went over to the blonde with concern and worry.

"Emma what happened? Who was on the phone?"

"My ex boss he's coming after me."

"And on the other downside you murdered your phone."

Regina looked at Emma and she saw that because Emma was scared she looked younger so she took the younger woman's hands in her own.

"Emma I promise you he won't hurt you."

Henry made his way downstairs after the sound of Emma's phone breaking woke him up.

Then he heard how gently Regina sounded when she spoke to Emma, and he realised that maybe the Evil Queen could redeem herself.

When Regina and Emma finally went to bed Emma was out like a light before her head even hit the pillow but her sleep was far from peaceful.

The blonde was tossing and turning and suddenly she started screaming, both Regina and Henry came bolting in Regina went to Emma and gently shook her awake only to be rewarded with a backhand from the terrified sheriff, as she woke up.

When Emma was fully awake she looked over and saw Regina holding her cheek.

"Regina? Did I do that? I am so sorry."

"It's alright dear it's not your fault, you were having a nightmare so don't blame yourself."

The brunette decided to keep a close eye on Emma so she moved the younger woman into the room that joins onto her's.

Weeks would pass and Emma's nightmare's were getting worse at least Regina had enough warning to get out of the way when waking the thrashing blonde up.

The weeks turned into months and still Emma wasn't getting any better and Regina didn't know what to do anymore so she made an appointment for Emma to see Archie.

One day while Emma was at Granny's and Whale grabbed Ruby's backside on her way passed which made her drop the meals she was carrying and when they hit the ground the crash startled Emma and she let out a scream, when she saw the whole diner staring at her she ran into the back room where Regina found her after Ruby called her.

"Emma dear you need to come with me, I made an appointment for you to see Archie today."

Emma was clinging to Regina's arm.

"Will you stay with me?"

"If that's what you want then that is what I'll do."

Soon Emma and Regina were in Archie's office.

"Regina please could you step outside so I can speak to Emma alone?"

As soon as Archie said this Emma's grip on Regina tightened.

"Actually Dr. Hopper Emma has requested that I stay here it was the only way she'd agree to see you."

"Very well."

Regina felt Emma's grip relax.

"Shall we get started then? Now Emma what can you tell me about these nightmares of yours?"

Emma didn't answer she just sat there in silence.

"Dear Archie asked you a question."

"It's alright Regina she may not know where to start and the best thing to do is not force her, it could make things worse."

Archie got down in front of Emma and gently took her hand that was not in Regina's and gave it a gentle squeeze to get her attention, when Caribbean blue eyes met hazel ones Archie knew he had the blonde's attention.

"Emma when you're ready to talk I'll listen."

"I keep dreaming about the mines and each ending gets worse than the one before."

"Can you tell me?"

"Well the first one is when you and Henry were down there and I got you out but in my dream I lost both of you and Regina was so angry with me that she broke the cable, the more time passed the dreams changed to when Regina and I were trapped down there I would dream that Regina found a way out and left me there to die or we'd both die down there and no one cared and the last two where that I didn't save Henry from the mine so the town attacked me when I woke I had realised that I hit Regina, the last one was I had ended up down the mine alone and I got out but everyone said I should have died down there. I guess I just want the nightmares to stop and just know that I'm not alone."

Both Regina and Archie could hear how broken the young blonde was.

"I think that's all we can do for now. Regina before you go I would like to speak to you in private."

"Of course, Emma I'll be with you in a minute."

Once Emma was out of earshot Archie spoke.

"While Emma was telling me what her dreams are about I realised a recurring pattern the outcome of her dreams are similar she gets abandoned by the people that care about her so next time I see her I will need to use city hall for I plan on getting the whole town involved in the next session and if it goes according to plan Emma will not need to see me again."


End file.
